melodiesofeternity | Crystalline Chill

Entry tags:

Crystalline Chill

Who: Residents of house C-01 and friends!
When: All throughout May, see prompts and individual threads
Where: House C-01
What: Monthly catchall for the XV House shenanigans
Warnings/Notes: There's likely going to be spoilers for Kingsglaive and the main game up to Chapter 13 somewhere in the comments.

A. Sometimes you just want to ride...
Late in the morning of the 1st, there is a low purring sound of an engine going down the street. One that wasn't accustomed to travel aside by foot or chocobo claw. Yet, somehow, a certain man manages not to clip a single thing. And it sits there, in front of House C-01, black, shiny, and very much a wonder to a few moogles. Especially since the convertible's roof is airship-grade plexiglass.

B. [Insert "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" joke here]
There was one upside to living with the once-deceased leader of the Crownsguard, and that was one didn't have to go far for a training enthusiast. There was also one downside to this: not having to go far for a training enthusiast. It's the crack of dawn when the nice little symphony of insects and kwehs get interrupted by the sounds of wooden weapons clashing and spells being practiced.

Rest in pieces, light sleepers. They apologize in advance.

C. That's it!
Of course, no one can train or go through the day on no fuel. And one person in particular has taken upon himself to at least ensure a few others can eventually cook eggs without burning them. The real question is: Will Ignis come up with a new recipeh involving that jar of kupo nut butter?

D. I want to ride my chocobo all day~
If anyone is surprised at the fact that there are two or three (depending on the date because Chocobo Eater event) lovely birds, then they clearly don't understand at least 50% of the household's love for the magnificent creatures. The black one in particular seems to be particularly happy with their nice little stack of shiny objects...

There may or may not be a pair of glasses on the top of that pile. Sorry, Specs.

E. Hold my Ebony
(Feel free to come up with your own prompts, guys; these aren't the limits to our zaniness.)

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Noctis chuckled darkly at that,burying his face in Prompto's neck. "Yeah. You're damn right it sucks."

He held on all the tighter, trying to ignore how the emotions start to build up in his throat. Yet nothing he could say would make this ache fade. Knowing the cat's out of the bag helped slightly, but... it still hurt. Not nearly as much as Luna's death did, for him at least, but close to it. Though to see and hear Prompto like this was heartwrenching in a whole 'nother level.

How Noctis wished he could carry that on his own, but he was already breaking from the strain as it was.

Noctis had to be hurting as much as he was, if not moreso. Prompto sighed and hugged back, holding him tightly as though he never wanted to let go because if he did, they'd be one step closer to the inevitable.

The damn inevitable truth that the Astrals had it in for Noct, no matter what they did. And they tried - they tried hard to make everything okay again but it never would be.

"You can't- n-no, we can't give up." He clung to him, fingers curling into Noct's shirt. "We have to think of something, something we can give instead, hell, they can have me. I'm not-"

Prompto would lay down his life for Noct to live, that was just how it was. He made that promise when he got his uniform to protect him, to live for him and to ensure he made it through and he took it to heart. Beyond his duty, he was his best friend, the one person in the world that understood him inside out, and the first person in his life to show him kindness.

Not that Lunafreya hadn't, but she hadn't exactly been around.

He honestly had no idea what he would do without Noctis.

That did it. At first, he'd had his crying relatively under control. Started letting those emotions out in a slow pace. Yet as Prompto's words, the floodgates came crashing down. And, like most other times when that happened-

"Don't you dare-!" He yelled, back arching as he tugged away slightly, and his forehead slipped to the front of Prompto's shoulder. His grip shaking as words just fell out in a mix of anger and sorrow. "Don't you... dare say that..."

His entire body shook as fresh sobs wracked him to the core. "'s bad enough, I had to- to watch Luna die," he choked out, quieter, more pleading. "If you- you or the others die for me, I-"

He looked up to try and meet his gaze, "I- couldn't bear it, Prompto."

Too many have died for him, have sacrificed so much for him. If Gladio, Ignis, or Prompto took his place, he'd break. It was bad enough Ignis lost his eyes, that Prompto suffered so much already at Ardyn's hands, that Gladio thought he had to beat the Blademaster to prove himself as his Shield. And not just them, but his own father, Clarus, Luna, all those in Insomnia that day, and Jared... Even Ravus, in the end. They all gave so much. He can't- He couldn't ask this of anyone. Especially Prompto; the only friend he'd ever made himself and hadn't been bound by duty.

Noctis pulled Prompto back into him, hand cradling the back of his head as the other clutched the back of his shirt tightly. The tears fell freely, and while he wasn't about to give up...his heart ached at even the thought of losing Prompto again. All because of him.

"Noct I-" Prompto felt bad because he invoked Luna's name and guilt burned in his stomach. Guilt for not getting to know her, and guilt for the fact she was lost all too young, all too unfairly because Ardyn was an asshole.

He squeezed Noct tightly and shook his head. "I...It makes the most sense you know?"

Prompto was babbling. "If they'd take the change I mean, you're the king and Iggy's your advisor and Gladio's your shield. Everyone's important."

He left the words except me unspoken.

"I can't- I don't know what I'd do without you Noct. It's only been a week and I miss you so much, I just..."

Prompto knew he was skittish, jittery and retreating into his shell without his best friend around and he needed him. "I can't lose you, please. Please Noct."

Please don't leave me to face this alone.

Noct shook his head, holding onto Prompto tighter. No, it didn't make sense. At all. He wanted to knock some sense into him but right now he just- couldn't.

"You know that means nothing to me," he choked out, only holding on tighter. He doesn't care about where people are from, what their positions are other than what he has to do for political reasons. It doesn't matter. It doesn't. "You're good enough for me. Always have, always will be. And I'm not letting you go, either."

A week. It's been a week already between his entering the Crystal, and-

Yeah. He's just going to be hugging even tighter, Prompto. For a while, before he could force himself to speak again. By then, some of the sobbing quieted down, as he absorbed what was said. "I don't- know how much time we have here, or if we'll get back. But, we'll think of something."

There had to be a way. And if there wasn't, then... he'd do it. He'd do it and watch over them like Luna watched over him.

Prompto let out a choked sob. "I kn-know that. I know I'm good enough for you, but maybe, maybe I can be good enough for them too. I mean...if it's just a life they need."

Out of all of them, it was his that mattered the least, but he was being hugged tighter which made him cry in earnest, head tucked into Noctis' shoulder. He would be embarrassed, but he felt this time it was wholly justified.

"Please don't, I mean don't talk like that. We're here. That's just- It's good. Yeah? They can't get you here? I won't let you out of my sight."

He could try anyway but knowing their time together was limited made it hard not to want to hold onto every precious possible second.

"We have to." He sniffled and wiped his eyes on Noct's shoulder. "We have to."

Prompto, do you want your king and best friend to squeeze all the air out of you? Because no. Just no. "It isn't." Noctis let out a shaky breath, voice hoarse from all the bitter sobbing.

"Only if you don't talk like that." It was an ultimatum that Prompto would have to accept. He wasn't going to let any of them die for him or in his place, if that was even possible.

"They can't," he confirmed. "At least, I don't think so. The Ring hasn't responded since we got here." So unless they suddenly appeared in the Dream Width... in which case? Shit. "Whatever happens, none of you are dying for me."

And that was final.

He makes a little noise when he's squeezed harder, breathing just wasn't a priority to him at the moment. It was more important to impress upon Noct how he felt about this, and he was just devastated.

Prompto just nodded, keeping quiet on the matter for the moment, just because he didn't say it, didn't mean he didn't think it. He was the spare man in the group and he knew it.

He was fine with it, until Noct he'd always been the forgotten, the one left behind and he knew they'd be fine if the Astrals took him instead. He didn't know how to go about proposing this to them, however.

"Good. I mean. Really good. I don't want you to have to-" He swallowed. The crystal wasn't there, wasn't that why?

"I can't promise that, Noct."

Noctis loosened his grip on Prompto, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. He knew. He knew Prompto was devastated. He was, too.Had been since he first heard what was expected of him.

Just how many of them knew...?

"Prompto, remember the promise we made." He hated to do that, but- maybe bringing up those words would remind him. "You can't be at my side if either of us are-"

Dead. He shook the thought from his head. "We have time. Let's not waste it."

"I remember." He answered in a choked tone of voice and he swallowed thickly, trying to keep back his emotion.

"Look, I just can't-" Prompto closed his mouth and let out a whine and he reached forward to push Noct's hair out of his eyes.

"You can't die either, you can't, I won't let you. I'm...You can't okay, I need you, and Ignis needs you, Gladio needs you and all of Lucis. You can't." Prompto breathed. "You can't. Okay?"

He let out a whine. They had time but it was far from infinite. "I won't waste it..." Prompto dragged his arm across his eyes. "I won't."

Ah yes, the attempts to brush his bangs out of his face. How many times had Ignis attempted and failed miserably when they were growing up considering they just feel back seconds later? A similar effect happened then, though it took a bit more time for the strands to fall back into place considering how his hair was a little longer than it was in their high school days.

The hand that was still cupped around the back of Prompto's neck gently pulled him closer, Noct offering his shoulder. Both to try and console, and so that Prompto wouldn't see the face he was making.

Because he couldn't promise that he wouldn't die, no matter how much he longed to.

"We'll think of something, Prom." When they can look at it and come up with any plans. Things that are a bit hard when it felt like someone was ripping them apart at the seams.

He wasn't entirely sure why did that, a gesture of comfort perhaps, some way of touching Noct that seemed a little closer to normal, something he could laugh about later.

Prompto was terrified to lose him, he already had felt like he had, but he'd been in denial. Noct would come back they repeated like a mantra and yet, now he was learning he would and then die.

All for the Astrals bidding.

He let Noct pull him forward, hiding his face there and squeezing him hard again, but as much as they wanted to talk this through, and as much as he didn't want to get out of bed in the morning, knowing this terrible secret, he let their speaking lapse.

Finally, when he'd regain some semblance of control, he sniffed and wiped his eyes again. "......Sorry I made your shirt wet." It was a mumbled, half-hearted joke that may have fallen flat, but it was something.

Oddly, he... didn't mind it. Because it was a little closer to normal, and hopefully they could laugh about it soon. Yet just as Prompto was terrified of loosing him, Noct was terrified of losing any of them. And he'd do anything to protect them. Protect him, he found himself thinking, but blinked back those thoughts.

Noctis held him there for a while, letting his friend get it out of his system and gently running a hand down his back. Staring at the floor behind him as he did so.

He was beginning to hate silence, only broken up by choked noises and sniffles. But when he caught that apology, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Sorry I made yours wet, too." He replied quietly. Yeah, it was something, alright.

"It's fine. I'm not that fond of this shirt anyway." An even lamer retort and he wiped his eyes with both hands. He sniffled again and shook his head.

"Yeah, I'm okay just.. floored, you know? I had no idea."

Prompto wanted to hold onto him and never let him go.

That was hardly a rational plan so they would need to think of something better. He could feel a slight headache from all the crying and he was sure he was looking splotchy again.

"I'd offer to dry it, but would probably just burn it on accident." Another lame joke, but a semi-serious one. Considering what he did to that chocobo eater's mouth.

"I didn't either." Which was... painful, to admit. He'd known since he was five that he was the Chosen. Saw how it affected his father, how he always grew so sad all the time whenever they both neared the throne room. Yet he'd... never knew the full extent of what it meant.

He wanted to punch something, then at least tell them all how much they meant to him, but he never had the chance. Well, he guess he did now. Thanks to the Dream Width.

"C'mon. We should... at least get up off the floor."

Before one of the others find them in a tear-stained mess.

He scoffed softly at the burning comment and it was probably true, the way Noct was new at these magic powers, magic he'd stayed away from because it was all outside his comfort level.

Prompto was much more comfortable with a gun in hand and a chocobo to ride. At the suggestion they get up he paused for a moment seeming to gauge something. He was trying to get an accurate picture of his mental state.

It was a trick he'd picked up from reading the internet. He nodded. "I can do that."

A simple request and direction, he could handle that, even though the rest of him wasn't entirely sure what to make of things and he was blinded by grief.

Prompto pressed his palm to the ground and used his legs to propel him upward in a standing position. He didn't even wobble. Once he was steady, he held out his hand to Noct, and offer to help him up.

If the trick worked, then it was good enough. Noctis waited patiently, but was prepared to help his friend up one more time. Yet when he spoke up, a small amount of relief flickered in tired eyes. Good. That was... good. There was a small bit of direction they could follow.

Yet when Prompto offered a hand up, Noctis couldn't help but blink. Huh. Talk about a role reversal.

"Shouldn't I be the one offering you a hand?" He teased, and, despite the fact his eyes are redder than usual, he smiled. Taking that hand and pulling himself up, too.

"Maybe, but I've got this." He offered a tired, weary smile and clasped his hand tightly as he pulled him to his feet.

Prompto couldn't resist, he wrapped his free arm around Noctis. Apparently he wasn't done hugging him, unless he slipped out of his grasp, in which case he'd find a back up plan for showing his affection.

"So uh, sorry I knocked you over?"

There's a slight bristling of the shoulders, but... Noct doesn't pull away. Maybe he was just too tired to.

"Nah, it's cool." He waved it off, shaking his head. "My fault for not paying attention." Like Gladio kept telling him to. Whoops. One day.

Prompto sighed and let go finally, because he couldn't go through life holding onto Noct, it would be impractical, even if their time together was short.

Any time less than sixty years was far too short, in his opinion. He would want to be with him at his side, every day.

"Yeah, well...you went down like a ton of bricks."

It was all he could do to discuss something other than the topic looming over their heads.

Good, because it was going to be a pain walking like that. He chuckled a little. "Yeah. Maybe I should train with my ninja asterisk sometime." It was a little sturdier. Slightly.

He bent down to pick up his slate from the floor, before someone stepped on it. Thank the stars it hadn't accidentally started recording. That... Oh, sweet Shiva, that would have been mortifying.

"Tea? Or coffee?" He offered, because he knew he could use something to drink after... that. His voice was still hoarse and all. Though, he also asked: "Oh, and did you see that giant mech in the B housing section?"

Back to ignoring the elephant in the room, for now.

"Y-Yeah, okay." He stammered, still feeling a little off-kilter and he moved to sit at the table and he blinked at the question.

"Giant mech?" He tilted his head. "I uh, haven't noticed it."

He'd had better things to focus on, the cycle of the sun, mainly.

Prompto rested his chin on the palm of his hand, still feeling the dampness in the leather.

Considering Prompto didn't actually answer the question, he just... went to grab the tea kettle. Less likely to burn the water if he can hear it whistle, and thus less likely that Ignis will kick his ass later.

"Wow, really?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he filled the kettle with water. "And here I thought it was obvious." Because even from the kitchen table, it was kind of hard not to notice the large red wings jutting up higher than the roofs of the other houses behind theirs.

It's kind of hard to miss, along with the cycle of the sun.

"Yeah?" Prompto hadn't given it much thought but he bent down and looked out the window trying to get a glimpse of it.

"Whoa." He gushed slightly. "That's...that's amazing! Can we get one of those? Think it would work?"

It wasn't that much unlike magitek, maybe he could operate it!

"You should see it. It's lower jaw is taller than Gladio." That's saying something. And, yes, he is admitting to having seen it up close.

"I don't know... Apparently they're very particular and have a mind of their own."

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